Little league game ends in major league lawsuit

By

HLN Staff

Updated 6:32 PM EST,

Wed January 15, 2014

Winning a little league baseball game is usually a time for celebration and team camaraderie, not lawyers and legal briefs, but one little league player from California has seen more of the latter, lately.

Sacramento affiliate KCRA says it all began with Joe Paris' 14-year-son on second base. When his teammate hit a single that won the game, he tossed his batting helmet in the air. A lawsuit filed in November by the boy's coach, Alan Beck, claims the batting helmet came down on Beck's ankle, severing his Achilles tendon.

Beck says he went into shock after the helmet hit, and he thinks the player threw the helmet at him. His attorney points out that helmet-throwing is not part of the game. The coach is suing his player, the Paris family and the league for more than $500,000 in damages.

The Paris' have explained what happened by saying their son got exuberant while celebrating the win and that Beck was involved in multiple games after the injury allegedly occurred. They had kept their son in the dark about the suit until recently because they didn't want to worry him, and he is friends with Beck's son. The Paris' say they have already spent about $4,000 on legal fees so far.

Legal analyst Joey Jackson says he doesn't think the lawsuit will go far, since places like baseball diamonds (during a baseball game) are assumed to be places of risk.

The Paris family, Beck and Beck's attorney joined HLN's News Now to explain the lawsuit.